


Take a Look At Me Now

by makeitmine



Category: Glee
Genre: Alternate Universe, Community: kbl-reversebang, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-14
Updated: 2013-07-14
Packaged: 2017-12-20 04:36:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/883011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/makeitmine/pseuds/makeitmine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's fate, really, that a London-based screenwriter and a Broadway-bound actor cross paths on the film that changes their lives. But when Blaine tries to move on, Kurt shows up in another unexpected way. Can they maintain their professional relationship or wind up celebrating more than an award or two together?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Take a Look At Me Now

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the Kurt/Blaine Reversebang, which can be found [here](http://kbl-reversebang.livejournal.com/) on LJ and [here](http://kblreversebang.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr. The story was inspired greatly by the lovely [Mardy's](http://missmardybum.tumblr.com/) incredible artwork. Thank you so much to her for the inspiration, letting me bounce ideas off of her, and being patient while I took entirely too long to write it. Another big thank you goes to my favorite [Jen](http://alilfallofrain.tumblr.com/), who gave me some great choices of places to use in London.

Blaine stepped out of the elevator and into the sixth floor offices with a number of emotions running through him: fear, anticipation, worry, excitement. Watching his dream come true, being able to tell his story (or at least a slightly enhanced version) to the world, had taken over his mind the past several weeks. In just a matter of days, _Against All Odds_ was going to begin shooting and he was officially going to be a screenplay writer.

Writing had never been in the cards for Blaine at first; he’d always assumed he’d make it on stage somewhere. He loved school, though, and he knew how much a good education along with premier acting training meant in the long run. Getting accepted into RADA all but erased the physical and emotional scars left by the bullying he endured throughout middle school and his freshman year of high school. Suburbia in the United States had never been kind to Blaine, and he was ready to run and never look back.

Every one of his friends at Dalton was perplexed by Blaine’s decision to study in London. Why would he want to go so far away for something he could easily earn at dozens of schools in New York, or even Ohio? He reminded them about what he’d been through three years prior, missing the final six weeks of the school year and running to a safe zone, hiding from everything and everyone. The only sadness he felt about his decision was saying goodbye to his parents at the airport. Once he touched down at Heathrow, it was time to go. Blaine worked consistently hard to surpass the expectations of his professors - though his successes were few and far between.

Despite having returned to Westerville the previous summer, Blaine remained in London for the months between his second and third years to contemplate his future. All of his efforts to get the best roles amounted to being relegated to the back of the pack. Many of his professors adored him and his polite, enthusiastic attitude. Unfortunately, the feedback Blaine received told him he severely lacked the desire to make it. Distraught, he took the break to finally explore the city and get his thoughts out. As he did, he realized he still wanted to tell a story - it would just have to be in a different way. When the third year began, Blaine started looking into other options for his future and ended up with acceptance into the college’s Master’s program in Text and Performance.

The move ended up kickstarting a new dream. Blaine fell in love with working on scripts and watching others bring his words to life. Within a year of receiving his degree, he began shopping a script out to agents in both London and New York, only intending to hear constructive criticism on what he needed to improve. He never imagined one agent offering to send it to a few directors, let alone a director being so moved by his story that he offered to produce a film adaptation independently, with Blaine receiving quite the sum of money.

Everything led Blaine to this week: an eleven hour flight from London to Los Angeles to meet with Anthony McGill, the director who picked up the script, and his apparent choice to represent Blaine’s life story, a little known actor named Kurt Hummel. Blaine spent hours perusing IMDB beforehand in an attempt to see what he looked like, however it seemed this was his first credited role with no page available. A Google search led to mentions of a Kurt Hummel in the chorus of _Les Miserables_ and nothing more. Blaine worried that this Kurt didn’t have the experience necessary to work through a role like Daniel Lewis, someone who went through hell and survived everything thrown at him.

“Blaine Anderson?” a voice rang out from behind. Blaine turned to face a young man in a wheelchair rolling up to him. “Artie Abrams, I’m Tony’s apprentice.”

Blaine shook Artie’s proffered hand. “Nice to meet you. Sorry I’m late, LA traffic is kind of a nuisance when you aren’t used to it.”

“Believe me, it took me a month to get the hang of it, especially in my state. Although, and forgive me for overstepping, Blaine, but you don’t sound British at all.”

“Well, old bloke, it seems maybe I haven’t been in your fair country a wee bit long.” When Artie raised an eyebrow, Blaine began chuckling and toned the fake accent down. “I’m American, actually; I moved to London for school five years ago. This is the first time other than Christmas and my brother’s wedding that I’ve been home since the summer after my first year.”

“Wow, impressive.” Artie wheeled closer and held out his fist. Blaine confusingly bumped it with his own. “We should probably head in before Tony throws a fit,” Artie added.

“Of course,” Blaine replied as he followed Artie towards a set of oak doors leading to the conference room. He reached around to hold the door open for Artie, thankful his combination of private school teaching and British living made his manners impeccable.

Those very manners headed for the 101 the moment he stepped into the room and noticed the beautiful boy seated next to the space Artie rolled up to. He was lithe and lean, displaying high cheekbones and a gorgeous head of light brown hair. The boy looked towards Blaine and flashed him a dazzlingly white smile. Blaine had to wonder if this was the mysterious Kurt Hummel.

“Ah, you must be our genius screenwriter,” a stout, balding man said from his position at the front of the room.

Blaine strolled over and shook the man’s proffered hand. “I am indeed. You must be Mr. McGill?”

“Please, call me Tony,” he replied before turning to the settling crowd. “Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to introduce Blaine Anderson, who wrote our fine film. Blaine, I know you met my apprentice out in the lobby, but this is Artie Abrams. Next to him is our star, Kurt Hummel, then Rob Dietrich, the father...”

Blaine greeted each of the actors and crew members in the room, but he was never going to remember their names or titles after Kurt. When he shook Kurt’s hand, he became mesmerized by the steel blue eyes and silk-woven hands. Blaine made his way around and sat in an open seat at Tony distributed the final script and call sheet for the first week. He was going to remain in Los Angeles for the week to work with anyone who requested his vision on a particular character.

From Blaine’s discussions with Tony in the weeks leading up to the shoot, he expected a tightly run ship on set. On the contrary, Tony never went into his plans for the film other than hoping to wrap within five weeks, just before Christmas. Afterwards, he opened things up to any questions the cast or crew may have had before caterers overtook the room to bring lunch in.

Blaine mingled with several of the actors while eating. His favorite that he spoke with was a former child star named Lucas Baylen. He had the role of Nick, a boy who came into Daniel’s life and eventually fell in love with him. Lucas supported both the independent film industry and the LGBT community, so _Against All Odds_ attracted to him the moment the casting call went out.

“It’s definitely a role I’ve been looking forward to,” Lucas said. “I love how Daniel does everything he can to bring Nick out of his shell and tell him everything will be okay.”

“Thank you,” Blaine replied. “I really wanted a chance to show teens and young adults who feel things won’t be as good as they are for heterosexuals that there is still hope, that a moment comes along that can open their eyes up to a more hopeful future.”

“At least someone is looking out for us,” a melodious voice piped up from behind Blaine. He turned around and came face to face with Kurt. “Can you excuse us, Lucas? I would really like to speak with Blaine about his vision.”

“Of course,” Lucas nodded, stepping aside. “Blaine, you’ll be on set Monday, right? I’ll have a couple questions after I look over the scenes.”

“Of course.” Blaine turned back to Kurt once Lucas departed. “So you’re my Daniel, huh?” he asked, mentally berating himself for starting off with such an obvious question.

Kurt took the gaffe in stride and smiled. “I am. It - the role felt like it was meant for me from the moment I read it.”

“And this is your first credited role, correct? I noticed you were on Broadway before this.”

“Oh, well, of you consider a small theater off Eighth Street my shining moment.” Blaine noticed Kurt become flustered and even more adorable. “Broadway is my dream, though. I graduated from NYADA two years ago and the roles haven’t exactly been there for me.”

Blaine hummed in agreement. “I completely get that; it used to be my dream, too. There or West End.”

“Yeah, I did hear you were from London, right?” Kurt mused.

“Oh, not originally. I moved out there to attend RADA and stayed, but I was born and raised in Ohio.”

Kurt looked shocked when Blaine said that. “No way,” he gasped.

“What?” Blaine was terrified at the reaction he’d received.

“I’m from Ohio, too,” Kurt finally blurted out. “Lima.”

“Seriously? I grew up in Westerville, outside of Columbus.”

“This is so weird,” Kurt said. “Artie’s from Lima, too. He’s the reason I auditioned for Daniel, in fact. We became friends through being in glee club together.”

Blaine busted out laughing. “This is insane - I did glee club, too. I don’t know if you remember a group called the Warblers?”

Kurt thought for a moment. “Prep school boys, right? You had an incredible lead singer who sang a lot of female-driven pop songs? Although the faces he made on stage...”

“Hey, my faces were legendary,” Blaine interrupted.

Kurt’s jaw dropped. “That was you? But you’re so - relaxed and laid back.”

Blaine grinned and brushed back the hair falling into his eyes. “I spent my years at Dalton fitting into the mold so much that when I graduated I couldn’t do it anymore. Ditched the gel and polos, grew the hair out, found some glasses...it was refreshing.”

The longer Blaine spoke, the more worried Kurt looked. “Must have been nice,” he muttered.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“That you were able to be someone you weren’t. Not all of us had that luxury.”

“Yeah, well when you’re driven from your old school for going to a dance with another boy, sometimes you have to take the easy way out.”

Kurt froze. “You’re gay?”

“I am,” Blaine confirmed. “Daniel is based off some of my experiences - the bullying, the lack of support. Can’t say I serenaded anyone five seconds after meeting him on a staircase, though.”

“That is a bit outrageous,” Kurt chuckled. “I did get my unfair share of bullying as well, up until the head cheerleader and her girlfriend came out. Then, of course, nobody minded homosexuals being around the school.”

“Wow, Kurt, I’m sorry.”

Kurt waves off his apology. “It’s water under the bridge now. Santana became one of my closest friends after graduation and I don’t hold the actions of the ‘Lima Losers’ against her at all. But yes, I did have it rough. Artie sent the sides from the script to me because he knew. He saw me all over the role and set an audition up before I even read the first line.”

“In that case,” Blaine said, taking Kurt’s hand, “I am honored that you are bringing my story to life and I believe you are the perfect Daniel.”

“And I am so proud to be a part of this project.” Kurt laced his fingers between Blaine’s and held on. The movement sent electric waves radiating up Blaine’s arm, one that chilled him to the bone when he became aware of what happened. Kurt was an actor in his movie, nothing more. He shrugged it off as being single for too long; his last fling, Pete, dumped him after two months for the lead singer of a band who came into his pub regularly because he wanted ‘more adventure than a bloody unemployed Yankee writer’ could provide him with. Not once in the past fourteen months since the breakup had Blaine even been on a date, let alone had a relationship worth something.

“Excuse me, Mr. Anderson?” a petite woman asked as she tapped Blaine on the shoulder. “Hi, I’m Charlotte, I’m playing Daniel’s mother. I just have a few questions I need your input on to feel her out.”

Blaine shot an apologetic smile at Kurt as he drew his hand back, thankful for the excuse as he turned around. “Charlotte, it’s lovely to meet you,” he said. Through the corner of his eye he noticed Kurt speak with Tony for a second before leaving the room entirely.

By late afternoon Blaine had spoken to as many of the lead and supporting actors as he could before they needed to wrap up for the day. He never saw Kurt again to say goodbye and wish him luck before the first day of filming. That was fine in itself, as he was sticking around Los Angeles for the week to get with any of the actors who had last minute questions, yet deep inside he regretted not having that last moment.

\----------------------------------------

Blaine sighed as he placed another copy of _Fifty Shades of Grey_ back on the shelf. He didn’t understand how people could be infatuated with such an amateur story, yet years after the first book’s release he was returning copies back only to find them out the next day. Plus the casting of Christian left no appeal even if he’d been intrigued to check it out. In fact, it made Blaine want to look into penning a novel next instead of the script he’d been toying with since Christmas.

Even after _Against All Odds_ wrapped, when Tony’s daily filming updates dwindled away to memories that the movie was happening, Blaine had to deal with his parents’ animosity towards his chosen profession. Writers didn’t make money, they claimed, and since the plane ticket from London to Los Angeles had come out of their pockets, they offered Blaine a chance to move back to the States, even home, while he sought out regular employment. In their opinion screenplays could be a hobby while he toiled behind a desk eight to nine hours a day. But Blaine wasn’t having any of it; his parents had never discouraged Cooper’s acting dreams, nor his when they were still alive, so why was this any different? He refused their help and returned to his flat in Chelsea and his job at the library.

“Excuse me,” a voice said from behind Blaine while he stood on the ladder placing a European atlas on the top shelf, “can you tell me where the Royal History books are located?”

Blaine was intrigued by the patron’s decidedly American accent. “Sure, give me just a moment and I’ll take you over there.” Once the book was placed in its position, he climbed down and turned to face-

“Blaine?” Kurt gasped, his eyes going wide.

“Kurt!” Blaine quickly pulled Kurt closer and hugged him, even if they had only spoken on two occasions, both professionally. “This is surreal. What are you doing on this side of the pond?”

“I flew over for a friend’s wedding this weekend,” Kurt said, gripping Blaine just as tightly as Blaine was him. “Got bored while he and his fiance went to take care of some things for the ceremony, and decided to take the Tube over to Kensington. But I was distracted by this building a little...”

“It is gorgeous isn’t it?” Blaine mused. He let Kurt go and stepped back to take him to the history section. “So, how is everything? Any new roles to talk about?”

Kurt shook his head. “Not really, no. I went back to _Les Mis_ and work on it every night. What about you? I mean...you work here? What about your scripts?”

“Still getting started. I’ve got something I’m working on, but I still need a few bucks to keep me going. So that’s why I’m here.”

“Oh, yeah? Any spoilers you can give me about it?”

“What, so you can pass them on to another screenwriter to steal my ideas away?”

Kurt clutched at his heart. “Oh, you caught me already!” he said dramatically.

Blaine stopped in front of a sprawling bookcase. He turned to Kurt and heightened his picked-up accent, along with a burst of charm. “Well, it seems we’ve reached what you’re looking for, sir. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“I don’t know, I’m here in a foreign land, left all alone, and I really don’t know what where to go next.” Kurt began pouting. “Would you be a dear and give me some places to check out when I leave here?”

“I can do you one better,” Blaine said. “I’m off at 3:30 if you want to stick around and read for a bit, and then I can take you sightseeing? Do you have any plans with your friend this evening?”

Kurt shook his head. “No, Adam and Graham are too caught up in making sure everything is going to be good to go on Saturday. Are you sure it’s no trouble?”

“Not at all.” Blaine was amused by their easy, almost borderline flirting, banter. The spark of attraction he’d felt in November blossomed now that they were away from the set, although it still felt slightly forbidden. Blaine figured protocol for the writer and star were to not do anything, but he couldn’t help but wonder if something more could happen between them. “Tell you what, meet me in front of the building at 4:30? That will give me time to stop home, change, and grab a bite to eat, if you’d like. Sound good?”

“It’s a date,” Kurt replied. The grin on his face made Blaine’s heart stutter as he returned the smile and went back to the circulation desk to grab a few more returns.

Blaine resumed his work, although it was difficult to keep his mind off the fact that Kurt Hummel was in England, in the very building he was. He periodically checked on Kurt, who seemed to be enthralled with the book on the Tudors that he chose, while he was making his way through the stacks. Before long it was time for him to go and he reminded Kurt of the plans before leaving for his flat. He changed out of his standard work uniform of a polo and khakis into something more comfortable; worn jeans, a dark heather green henley, and a lighter gray cardigan. On his way back to the library he stopped at a deli for sandwiches and bottled water and met Kurt in front of the entrance promptly at 4:30.

“Ah, my hero,” Kurt joked. “Saving a poor soul like me lost in a foreign land.”

Blaine dipped into an exaggerated bow. “At your service, my lord. Now, shall we head to our destination?”

“What, no chariot to take me?”

“Would a double decker bus suffice?” Blaine asked. “It’s a bit easier than walking the entire way.”

Kurt’s face surprisingly lit up. “You don’t know how much I’ve wanted to ride one, Blaine,” he squealed.

Blaine smiled and took Kurt’s hand, leading him to the bus stop down the block. Within minutes, a towering red coach pulled up to let them on. Blaine gave the driver the sterling needed for two fares despite Kurt’s protest of paying his own way. He led Kurt to the top deck so he could see the sights while they made their way to their destination. It seemed to be the best idea.

“You know, I’ve always dreamt of coming here when I was little,” Kurt said, “but I never expected the city to be even this beautiful.” He shivered against the breeze blowing through and pulled his jacket tighter across his torso. “Or this chilly.”

Blaine chuckled. “That did take some time to get used to, but it’s not so bad anymore. Especially when summer hits and it doesn’t get out of the seventies much.”

“How long have you lived here, again?” Kurt asked.

“Going on six years now. My parents expected me to come home after graduation, and even begged me to right after the movie shot. I’m happy here, though, in ways I never was back in Ohio.”

Kurt nodded, the understanding unmentioned but lingering in the silence. “Do you think you’ll ever come back stateside for good?”

“I really don’t know,” Blaine mused. “Financially it would be easier to be in LA, near the studios and everything. But there are amazing studios here in London, too, and who knows, maybe one of them will pick up my next script and it won’t be one hell of a commute for me to meet everyone?”

The bus pulled up to the gates of Kensington Gardens, signaling Blaine to stand up and lead Kurt back down the steps and off the bus. He led Kurt into the park and took in the lush greenery showing the beauty of spring in London. “Wow, this is beautiful,” Kurt said under his breath.

“Isn’t it?” Blaine replied as he walked towards his favorite area. “I came here a lot the summer after my second year at RADA to think. The flowers, the trees, the water - it all felt soothing while I worked out my future.”

“So why didn’t you follow acting after you graduated?” Kurt asked. “I mean, attending is a huge accomplishment in itself, so you must be quite the talented thespian.”

“Oh, it was. I was...at least I thought so. But the professors seemed a little put out by what they considered to be a lack of drive.”

“What did they mean by that?”

“It’s funny, really. They saw a kid who almost never had his lines memorized in time, stumbled over minor words in monologues, and refused to chop his barely ear-length hair to fit the parts he auditioned for. In actuality, however, they were dismissing someone who...” Blaine stopped to collect himself for a moment. Talking about his adolescence to anyone usually resulted in a slight panic attack. “Someone who suffered a severe concussion five years prior, leaving him with short-term memory issues. Someone who wanted to be himself and not conform to what was expected. Someone whose love of being on stage was eventually demolished because they couldn’t give him a fucking break.”

Blaine hadn’t noticed the increase of volume in his voice until an elderly man on a bench glared after he shouted the final sentence. “Sorry,” he muttered quietly as they strolled past him. “But yeah, that’s basically it.”

Kurt’s mouth was agape. “Wow, I’m so sorry. Not just because your superiors were unwelcoming to your situation, but also because of...that’s why, right?”

“Why what?” Blaine questioned.

“Why Daniel had it so bad.”

“Kurt, I told you before that a lot of the story was based on my personal experiences. I took a boy to a Sadie Hawkins dance and had the crap beaten out of me, so of course I wanted to include that in the script. You know just as well as I do how much hell it was to be an out gay teen in Ohio. And honestly, I really don’t want to discuss anything regarding the film today. I just want to show a foreigner a good time while he’s here.”

Kurt nodded “Okay,” he replied softly.

They continued walking to the north end of the gardens where Blaine stopped in front of a majestic fountain. “Here we are,” he said as he took a seat on an open bench. He placed the bag he brought with him down in the center and gestured for Kurt to sit. “Welcome to the Tazza Fountain.”

Kurt took in the beauty of the fountain for a few moments. “It’s beautiful,” he finally said. “Just as much as when Prince Albert commissioned it for Queen Victoria.”

Blaine chuckled. “Sounds like you brushed up on your Royal history while waiting for me.”

“Oh, no. Believe me, I’m a huge fan of theirs. I even stayed up all night the day William and Kate wed.”

“Now if you had told me that before, I would have taken you to the other end where their palace is located, although it seems to have been inundated with paparazzi trying to get a glimpse of their new baby.”

“That’s alright,” Kurt said. “I’m sure I’ll have plenty of opportunities to return here in the future.”

“Of course,” Blaine noted. He reached into the bag to pull out a couple sandwiches, handing one to Kurt and unwrapping the other for himself. “I wasn’t sure if you had any dietary preferences so I purchased a crisp sandwich. Is that alright?”

Kurt stared at the offering wary of what he would find. “Crisp sandwich?”

“It’s just potato chips. It’s actually really good. The deli near my place makes them with their own sliced and fried potatoes, a dill cream cheese, and sprouts.”

“Okay.” Kurt gingerly peeled the plastic wrap off the sandwich, stared at it, and took a small bite. As he chewed, his expression softened. “Wow, this actually is good,” he said after he swallowed.

“Told you,” Blaine replied, going in for a bite of his own.

“Adam’s going to laugh when I tell him I’ve been introduced to British cuisine with something I can easily make from a bag of Lays.”

Blaine nodded. He pulled two bottles of water out of his bag, offering one to Kurt. “Is he your friend that’s marrying?”

“Thank you. And yeah, he is” Kurt confirmed between bites. “We met my first semester at NYADA - he’s from Essex originally, so it’s like you two exchanged with each other - and hit it off right away. He’s the one who made me feel comfortable as who I am and not want to hide so much under all the armor I put up.”

“Sounds like a good friend,” Blaine said.

“One of my best, along with Rachel and Santana. We knew each other inside and out.”

Blaine nearly choked on the last bite of his sandwich. “That sounds a little dirty.”

Kurt looked flustered at the comment, and Blaine internally scolded his brain for thinking it was an adorable look. “I guess when you look at it that way it’s also true. He’s, ah...he’s the only guy I’ve ever really been in a relationship with.”

“I see.”

“Look, Blaine, it was years ago. We dated for a little over a year before he got too homesick and thought he’d do better out here on the West End than on Broadway. He taught me so much, but it wasn’t as if I knew he was the one. We’ve kept in touch the past five years, and three of them he’s been with Graham. They are absolutely perfect for each other in ways that Adam and I weren’t.” Kurt stood and took his crumbled up wrapper to a nearby trashcan to dispose of it before sitting back down and taking a swig of water. “I figured I owed it to Adam to be here for him on his big day.”

Silence hung over Kurt and Blaine like a cloudburst. Blaine thought back on his more serious relationships: Sebastian back at Dalton, with his pure need to get off whenever they had a moment alone; Jeremy his first year in London before Blaine found him in bed with his ex, Veronica, during an impromptu visit; Billy the art student he met one night at a pub, the one he stuck by for eight months until he became too bored by Billy’s reluctance at going out more than once a month. Not one of those men would Blaine have considered to be a close friend after the relationship ended, let alone attend their weddings (though he knew Jeremy had met another girl months later and apparently swore off his bisexuality).

If Blaine were truly honest with himself, he’d been looking for someone with that kind of devotion Kurt showed Adam. He wanted that person who would support him in his writing, who would be there to comfort him when his parents begged for him to apply to the University of London and get a real degree and job and he needed to take his frustrations out on a punching bag. Someone who would have no problem intertwining friendship and romance into one special relationship that could last. Combined with Kurt’s beauty, Blaine felt he’d found that person.

Just then a wind gust kicked up and Kurt shivered. “You okay?” Blaine asked, his thoughts drifting to the back of his mind.

“A little chilly,” Kurt replied. “Maybe we could head some place a little warmer? I don’t want to head back to the hotel just yet.”

“Sure. How about my apartment?”

Blaine noticed a flash of something more in Kurt’s eyes before it dissipated. “That would be fine,” he replied.

They stood and threw out the remainder of their waste, and Blaine crossed over into Hyde Park where there was a closer exit than the front of Kensington. He hailed a cab to take them back to his place, not particularly caring how outrageous the fare would be. They chatted the entire ride and after entering Blaine’s flat, never pausing for a moment. They discussed their families, glee clubs, and Kurt commandeered Blaine’s computer to pull up New Directions videos (Blaine meant to after he’d left Los Angeles, but he could never remember the group’s name). He picked Artie out immediately, of course, and then searched for the young Kurt that graced the stage.

“Aww, you were so adorable,” he said before he could stop himself. But it was true; the Kurt with him in London was all long legs, high cheekbones, grace, and flair, while the early years of the decade seemed to show an inkling of what was to come. Blaine wondered if they could have connected back in high school, had the Warblers and New Directions known each other.

“Thank you,” Kurt replied, “though now I’m wanting a chance to see a dapper version of you.”

“What? No, Kurt, don’t!” Kurt didn’t listen and typed ‘Dalton Academy Warblers 2010’ in the Youtube searchbar. The first result to pop up, much to Blaine’s chagrin, was their sectionals’ performance of “Hey, Soul Sister”. Kurt giggled his way through the video as sixteen-year-old Blaine led his brothers in blazers in a simple two-step routine while he belted the song. “You couldn’t choose “Raise Your Glass”? At least we did something different with that one.”

“Nonsense, I have to see the performance that put you on par with our stellar lineup of Quinn, Sam, and Santana,” Kurt said. He set the laptop back on Blaine’s coffee table after the performance ended and turned to face him. “I will say, though, I think you look much better with the hair and glasses.”

Blaine’s mouth felt full of cotton. “Kurt..” he said dryly.

Kurt leaned in slowly and pressed his lips to Blaine’s. He lost himself in the kiss and let Kurt take control, allowing him to slide his tongue in. It felt like more than a first kiss, though. It sent sparks through Blaine’s nerves that made him want more, made him want to feel more. It took him back to that very group nearly nine years prior when they gave him “Teenage Dream” as his first-ever performance solo at the Dalton/Crawford Welcome Back Mixer. He wondered back then if he’d ever find that missing puzzle piece, and Kurt seemed to lock into place.

There was just an ocean-sized barrier in between them.

Blaine broke the kiss, eliciting a whimper from Kurt. “Kurt, what are we doing?” he asked while catching his breath.

Kurt looked confused. “What do you mean?”

“That - that kiss was incredible, don’t get me wrong. But what is this between us?”

“Do we need to define it?” Kurt leaned in again until Blaine pushed him away. “What’s your problem?”

“Yes, we do need to define this,” Blaine said a little more strongly than he planned. “I mean you’re here for what, two, three more days? Then you’ll return to New York, to your life, and I’ll just be that boy over in London you had a fling with?”

“No, I-”

“You what, Kurt?”

Kurt mumbled something under his breath, which made Blaine angrier. The glare he gave Kurt seemed to do the trick. “I said I was hoping we could have more than one night.”

“So until you have to go back to Heathrow?”

“No, I...Blaine, I remember what you said earlier about how much you love living out here. But I’ve been fighting this attraction to you for five months now, to the point where I’ve refused other really good men because of a stupid crush I thought I’d never see again.”

Blaine’s eyes grew at Kurt’s confession. He’d felt the exact same way from the moment he left Los Angeles, thinking he wasn’t going to see Kurt again. “Kurt, what are you suggesting?”

Kurt inhaled deeply. “I’m saying I’m here until Sunday morning. I do have plans with Adam tomorrow evening, and he would slaughter me if I didn’t show up to the wedding on Saturday. What if...what if you expanded your city tour to other locations? And then we’d return here, or my hotel, and, uh, continue what we were just doing. But with less clothing?

“And as for after I go back to New York, I was hoping we could try out the long distance thing?” Kurt’s eyes softened as he took Blaine’s hands in his. “I don’t want to pressure you into anything if you’re uninterested, but I really think there’s something special between you and me, and I’m willing to give it a chance to blossom. I know it would be difficult with time differences and eight hour flights...but I want this. I want us.”

The words scrambled through Blaine’s head as he took in everything Kurt said. It felt surreal; someone like Kurt would be a catch to any gay man in the United States, yet he was willing to throw it all away for a chance with someone across the Atlantic. Let alone any other implications hooking up would have on _Against All Odds_ when it was released in the fall. “What about Tony?” he finally asked.

“What about him?”

“I mean, what would he think if he knew?”

Kurt chuckled. “Blaine, the movie is long behind us. I don’t think there would be an issue if we were to date now.”

Blaine sighed and leaned back on the couch. He brought Kurt’s right hand up near his lips. “You really want this? Even if we don’t get to talk for weeks at a time and have to sort our lives out to see each other for two days?”

“I do. Do you?”

“Since November.” He kissed Kurt’s hand before dropping it and leaning back in and going for it.

\----------------------------------------

Never in Blaine’s wildest dreams did he expect _Against All Odds_ to take off the way it did. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, six weeks before it was set to open, to much acclaim from the critics. They found the story refreshing, a tale of two lovers where their sexuality was not the focus. It picked up on Opening Day when moviegoers came out of the screenings with complete adoration for ‘Danick’, the chosen ship name for the two young men.

Even bigger than the film itself was the praise Kurt received as Daniel. Everyone from the most serious bloggers to casual watchers felt he was outstanding, that he had incredible chemistry with Lucas and the actors who played his parents, and many year-end lists considered him to be the Next Big Thing in Hollywood. He kept with _Les Miserables_ until after Thanksgiving when the ever-expanding crowds in the theater and at the stage door became too much for the entire company to handle. He was now laying low, having hired an agent in Los Angeles right away, and he spent a good portion of his days reading over scripts sent to him to entice him to audition for his follow-up role.

The best part of Kurt’s acting hiatus, however, was that he’d been able to spend three weeks over the holidays in London with Blaine. After Kurt returned home, it took a few weeks to get their footing and set up times for Skype or phone calls. By summer, it all felt natural to them. Blaine took a few days in August to surprise Kurt in New York, then returned for his final show where he met the rest of the Hummel clan that flew in from Ohio. In return, Kurt felt an extended stay to make up for Blaine’s two trips was enough to make up for it. Blaine introduced him to many of the holiday traditions he’d created after making his residence more permanent. They spent New Year’s Eve at Adam and Graham’s house, toasting to an even better year than 2019 had been with plenty of wine and kisses.

And 2020 started off with a bang. Kurt called one chilly January afternoon while Blaine was at the library. He excused himself, hoping to hear the news he expected that day, and stepped out to the alley to return it. His own boyfriend, a man who had only appeared in one film in his lifetime, was up for an Academy Award for Best Actor. Blaine couldn’t help bursting into tears as Kurt told him. He’d helped that happen with Daniel. After he congratulated Kurt numerous time and expressed how much he wished he could be there with him, he returned to work. By the time his shift ended, Kurt called and texted several more times asking him to call back. He did so as he walked home, and Kurt informed Blaine that he as well was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Blaine nearly passed out on the sidewalks of Chelsea. Things couldn’t have been any better for him.

The weeks leading up to the awards left Blaine and Kurt in their first huge argument. While they had both received their invitations to attend, Kurt decided it would be easier if they didn’t show up to the show together. It was no secret to American media that Kurt was seeing someone; they just didn’t know who the mysterious man was, and he thought showing up on the biggest night of his career with Blaine on his arm would cause too much of a stir. This infuriated Blaine, as he felt Kurt was wanting to keep everything about their relationship in the closet, so to speak. After a week of not speaking, Blaine finally gave in and called to apologize. He understood it would be awkward for the star of the film and its writer to show up together, but he didn’t want to keep his identity secret any longer. Once Kurt accepted, and they had amazing phone sex, Blaine set to work on a surprise to prove to Kurt how much he meant to him.

Rather than meet Kurt in New York, Blaine flew straight to Los Angeles for the awards. He decided, against his better judgement, to take his brother with him. Cooper worked in the industry and was thrilled to have the chance to network to some of the big names on the red carpet. It also gave Cooper and Kurt the chance to finally meet, and Cooper immediately gave his seal of approval.

“You know, the boy toy should have had you come with him anyway so you wouldn’t be stuck back here in the nosebleeds,” Cooper said once they were seated inside the Kodak Theater. “Totally unfair to you, if you’re asking me. You could be down there with Spielberg and Apatow talking me up.”

Blaine rolled his eyes. “Right, I’m nervous for both Kurt and myself and all you want is to give your headshots out.”

“Hey, I never said I wasn’t nervous,” Cooper replied. “Though the experts think it’s really Kurt’s Oscar to lose.”

“Thanks.” Blaine straightened his posture and settled back as the lights dimmed and the host took the stage.

Blaine was lucky that the writing awards were some of the first given out. He didn’t know how long he could sit in the auditorium feeling like his skeleton was going to jump out of his skin. Forty minutes into the show Harrison Ford took to the stage to present the Screenplay awards. Adapted Screenplay was first, so Blaine sat back and tried to calm himself down while a cameraman came into the aisle in front of them to get his reaction shot. The winners took to the stage and accepted their statues before Harrison stepped back to the microphone to introduce the nominees for Best Original Screenplay. Blaine smiled and nodded at the mention of his name, and Cooper squeezed his shoulder in support. As the applause quieted down when the last nominee was announced, Blaine closed his eyes to keep from witnessing the inevitable.

“And the Academy Award goes to,” Harrison began. He ripped open the envelope and glanced at the name listed. “Blaine Anderson, for _Against All Odds_.”

Blaine swore it was a dream until Cooper pulled him out of his seat and into a gigantic hug. “Congratulations, bro! You did it!” Cooper shouted over the enthusiastic clapping of the audience.

“Thanks, Coop,” Blaine said as he stepped away and began his walk down the aisle towards the stage. He felt on air the entire way and half-expected to pull a Jennifer Lawrence and trip up the steps. He accepted the golden trophy from the model who presented it to him and shook Harrison’s hand before stepping up to address everyone.

“Wow. I just woke up from a dream where I was given an award by either Han Solo or Indiana Jones,” Blaine began, igniting laughter amongst the crowd. “Thank you to everyone who voted for me. I really didn’t expect this to happen so I don’t really have anything prepared. Um...thank you to my parents and my brother for supporting me through this adventure. Thank you to my incredible instructors back in London who took in an American kid with a broken dream and helped him fulfill a new one. Thank you to Tony McGill for taking on a first-timer’s offering. Thank you to the cast and crew of the film, you were all amazing to work with.

“I also want to dedicate this to those kids out there who find themselves in Daniel’s shoes, with little hope that things will look up. Trust me when I say they will.” Blaine paused for a moment and looked down at the second row of seats stage right, where Kurt was seated. “And last but not least, a huge thank you goes to Daniel himself, Kurt Hummel. I - I love you, and I’m so glad this film brought you into my life.”

It hadn’t hit Blaine what he’d said until he was backstage with the press. As soon as he stepped up, he was hit with several questions about Kurt. All of a sudden it became less about his Oscar and more about if he was the mystery man. And he finally got why Kurt was adamant against them attending together.

“I’m sorry, but Kurt and I prefer to keep our lives private,” Blaine finally answered after the fourth reporter asked about him. “Tonight is about our accomplishments, not whether or not we may be together. Next question, please.”

By the time he returned to his seat he’d missed close to an hour of the show. Cooper stared him down until Blaine gave him a look to knock it off. They continued watching the presenters and winners in silence until it came time for Kurt’s category.

The introductions went on longer, of course, as the acting categories garnered much higher priority. Finally it came time for the starlet on stage to read the choice. “And the Academy Award goes to...Kurt Hummel!”

Blaine vaguely heard Cooper whoop in his ear over the roar of the audience, but it didn’t matter. Kurt won. Kurt deserved the Oscar so much for what he did, for how he brought Daniel to life, and it happened.

“Oof, you’re a heavy thing, aren’t you?” Kurt said when he reached the microphone. “I am so honored right now. Thank you to the Academy, to my dad, my stepmom, my stepbrother, to all my friends and family who have helped me reach this point. Especially to Artie Abrams, an assistant director on the film. He thought of me as soon as he read the script and convinced me to give the screen a try, and I will forever be indebted to him.

“To everyone I worked with, I wish you all could have won. Oh, and to everyone who was nominated. I can’t believe I beat some of these names out! Sorry, Leo, it’s coming soon.”

Kurt stood still for a moment. “I, uh, I want to reiterate what Blaine Anderson said when he accepted his award. If you’re out there watching this, out of the closet with little to no support, hang in there. You never know when you’ll come across your own Nick to help you find yourself. And it’s okay if it takes a while, because I didn’t find mine until a year ago. And yes, I love you too, you dork.” Blaine groaned, but he noticed the warm smile still gracing Kurt’s face. “Once again, thank you, everyone.”

The Oscars concluded after the final set was handed out and Blaine and Cooper headed to the after party. They chatted with many actors and actresses, people Blaine never dreamed of meeting before. Kurt didn’t show up until 10 because of the extra press he received for his award, and it took nearly half an hour for him to make his way through the well-wishers and to the table Blaine was seated at.

“I’m sorry,” Blaine immediately said as he stood and pulled the chair to his left out for Kurt to sit in.

Kurt looked at him amusingly, the lights of the ballroom glinting in his steel blue irises. “You’re sorry that I won?”

“Oh, no, I’m thrilled you won; I meant I’m sorry for what I said.”

“Well, you’re forgiven anyway,” Kurt replied, pecking Blaine on the cheek. “I think I would have slipped up in the heat of the moment anyway if you hadn’t said it.”

“Good to know,” Blaine said. A waiter came by with the first course for Kurt to eat; although Blaine had already finished his dinner, he sat by Kurt’s side the entire time. As Kurt reached dessert, Blaine reached into his tuxedo jacket and pulled an envelope out. “I, um, have a present for you.”

“Really?” Kurt chuckled. “I thought Oscar was enough of a present?”

“No, this is something I planned on giving to you, win or lose.”

Blaine handed the envelope over to Kurt, who opened it and stared at the single sheet of paper it contained. “Blaine, what is this?” Kurt asked.

“It’s an airplane ticket. Heathrow to JFK.”

“No, I get that, but why? I thought I would be visiting you next?”

Blaine shook his head. “You won’t need to. That’s a one-way ticket.”

Kurt stared at the itinerary and then back at Blaine. “One-way? Why?”

“Because if there is one thing I’ve learned the past ten months,” Blaine replied, “it’s that I can’t stand to be apart from the person I love. I want to spend every day and night with you. I want to go to bed with you and know that when we wake up one of us won’t be rushing off to the airport to fly to another country. I want to come home from a meeting with my agent and see you making dinner before you head off to be the darling of Broadway. I want to go to Whole Foods with you to plan our meals for the week, go to Restoration Hardware and pick out a new bathroom set, to go to the preschool our children will attend and pick them up after a long day of learning their ABCs.”

“You’re already picking out schools?” Kurt giggled.

“Not without you,” Blaine said. “I’m not proposing, at least not yet, but I am coming home if you want me.”

“What about your writing?”

Blaine shrugged. “I’m not necessarily limited to London on that, I don’t think. Maybe New York will inspire me with something after I get _Rise of the Youth_ shopped around.”

“Mmm, maybe.” Kurt leaned in and kissed Blaine softly. “So when shall I expect my new roommate to be moving in? I’ll need time to clean and rearrange my closet if he’s going to be using it.”

“Maybe you should look at the ticket again,” Blaine said, picking the paper up and handing it back to Kurt.

Kurt looked it over again. “Friday, April 24...wait, isn’t that...?”

Blaine nodded. “Consider it my anniversary gift to you.”

“You are amazing, you know that?” Kurt pulled Blaine into a hug and kissed him again. “I love you.”

“Love you, too,” Blaine replied. “Now what do you say we find my brother to babysit these two babies we acquired tonight and go dance?”

Kurt stood and offered a hand to Blaine. “I thought you’d never ask.”

\----------------------------------------

_”Against All Odds” Set to Make Broadway Debut_

by Lara Montaine, playbill.com

As the weather outside remains downright bitter, a stage production of the highly acclaimed film _Against All Odds_ is about to begin previews at the John Golden Theater. Starring Andrew Linchfield as Daniel Lewis, a gay teen who is beaten and finds his love in new pal Nicholas, played by John Ray, the adaptation is penned by Blaine Anderson, who wrote the original screenplay that won him an Academy Award.

I caught up with Anderson last week, where he went on to discuss how thrilled he is to bring something to Broadway. “Growing up, I actually had my sights set on acting,” the 31-year-old says. “In a turn of events, though, I stepped away from being out front and decided to write the stories myself. It turned out to be the best decision of my life.”

When Anderson came onto the Hollywood scene with the independent film, which won another Oscar for Kurt Hummel as Best Actor, little was known about the budding writer. He has since opened up about Daniel being somewhat based on his own turbulent adolescence.

“I didn’t have the greatest experience coming out, and I ended up paying for it at the hands of some classmates. I then transferred to a private school in central Ohio with a zero tolerance policy for bullying and violence, however, that’s where the stories diverge.”

Though Daniel and Nick found each other at a young age, it took a few years for Anderson to meet the love of his life. In fact, it was the very portrayer of Daniel who won his heart. “Kurt and I had a mutual attraction from the day we met,” Anderson says of his now-husband, a Broadway star in his own right as Fiyero in “Wicked”. “We knew it would be tricky to hook up during filming, so we held off on saying anything. Months later, we reunited in the craziest of places and we couldn’t keep away from each other any longer.” Anderson and Hummel kept their relationship under wraps until the Academy Awards in February 2020, when they both won for _Against All Odds_. Now married for two and a half years, the couple is close to finalizing the adoption of an infant boy to make a family of three.

“The moment we laid eyes on Micah,” Anderson says of the boy, “we knew he was it for us. All the love we had suddenly grew to include him.”

Besides fatherhood, Anderson is currently busy writing another screenplay he hopes will be as successful as his other three, though he’s keeping mum on the plot. “It wouldn’t be right to give everything away before it even gets the green light.” He does hint it will have a primary focus on LGBT characters, as his other films have.

“Against All Odds” begins previews February 10 and opens April 7.


End file.
